Jane Kim keeps head down, piles up progressive endorsements

1of4Supervisor Jane Kim listens as the public comments as San Francisco Board of Supervisors discuss naming an interim mayor at City Hall in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle

2of4San Francisco Supervisor and mayoral candidate Jane Kim walks down Market Street with her campagin members during the Women's March and rally Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 in San Francisco, Calif.Photo: Jessica Christian, The Chronicle

3of4Supervisor Jane Kim, right, with legislative assistant Noelle Duong in San Francisco City Hall last month.Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

4of4LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 21: San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim speaks during the Women's March "Power to the Polls" voter registration tour launch at Sam Boyd Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Demonstrators across the nation gathered over the weekend, one year after the historic Women's March on Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trump's administration and to raise awareness for women's issues. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Photo: Ethan Miller, Getty Images

While the backers of Supervisor London Breed, former state Sen. Mark Leno and former Supervisor Angela Alioto are batting over charges of backroom deals, political PAC money and how they should be identified on the ballot, Supervisor Jane Kim is quietly putting together a progressive package of endorsements and causes that could prove formidable in the June mayoral election.

Kim — who is in third place behind Breed and Leno in the early polls — just picked up the endorsement of former Supervisors John Avalos and Matt Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, more recently known as the public defender who got an undocumented immigrant acquitted of murder in the shooting of Kate Steinle, said Kim “is the most progressive candidate in the field.”

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Gonzalez cited Kim’s work to raise the minimum wage in the city to $15 an hour, require more affordable housing with new developments and make City College free for all as reasons for his endorsement.

Kim is also being backed by the Service Employees International Union, which represents the bulk of lower-paid city workers.

Last week, Kim and Supervisor Norman Yee submitted signatures for a June ballot measure to raise the commercial real estate tax to pay for more child care for low-income families. It’s likely to be a centerpiece of her mayoral run.

“I will be talking about it as part of my program to make San Francisco more affordable,” Kim said.

Bet on it.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross

Whether writing about politics or personalities, Phil Matier has informed and entertained readers for more than two decades about the always fascinating Bay Area and beyond. The blend of scoops, insights and investigative reporting can be found every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday in the Chronicle.